Electronic sound alarm clock

ABSTRACT

An electronic sound alarm clock which comprises a clock mechanism, electric power source circuit having a pair of contacts to be closed at a set alarm time, a source voltage controlling means actuated upon closing of the contacts, an oscillator, and an electric signal-acoustic energy convertor. Said voltage controlling means is adapted to vary the supplied voltage as the time lapses so that, typically, an intermittent alarm sound is produced. By properly forming the controlling means, various types of alarm sounds which vary as the time lapses may be produced.

United States Patent Itoyama et al.

[54] ELECTRONIC SOUND ALARM, CLOCK [72] Inventors: Hiroshi Itoyama,Kadoma; l-lideki Abe, Osaka, both of Japan [73] Assignee: MatsushitaElectric Works, Limited,

Osaka, Japan 1 [22] Filed: May 13, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 36,906

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 31, 1969 Japan ..44/42747 May31, 1969 Japan ..44/42748 Dec. 11, 1969 Japan ..45/15067 Dec. 11, 1969Japan ..44/99929 Dec. 16, 1970 Japan ..44/118166 [52] US. Cl. ..58/39,58/21.155, 340/384 E [51] Int. Cl. ..G04c 21/00 [58] Field ofSearch.58/l6, 19, 21.12, 38.39, 21.155;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,534,543 10/1970 Assmusetal ..58/2L12 [is] 3,681,916 1 Aug. 8, 1972 3,284,796 11/ 1966Borsattino et al. ..340/384 3,318,084 5/1967 Patrick ..58/38 3,341,8419/1967 Stampfli ..58/38 X Primary Examiner-Richard B. WilkinsonAssistant Examiner-Lawrence R. Franklin Attorney-Wolfe, Hubbard, Leydig,Voit & Osann, Ltd.

[ ABSTRACT alarm sound is produced. By properly forming the controllingmeans, various types of alarm sounds which vary as the time lapses maybe produced.

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ATTORNEYS PATENTEDIUF 8197? 3,681,916 SHEET 09 0F 10 INVE TORS HmosmTOYAMA BY HIOEKI ABE ATTORNEYS PATENTEmus man 3.681.916 swan lOOF 10INVENTORS Hmosm ITOYAMA BY HIDEKI ABE 3 i NEYs 1 ELECTRONIC SOUND ALARMCLOCK This invention relates to electronic sound alarm clocks.

Those electronic sound alarm clocks which make continuously oscillatorysound of regular amplitude or intermittent oscillatory sound of regularamplitude and regular width have already been well known. Further, it iswell known that conventional controlling mechanisms for producing alarmsounds are initiated to operate when a time set for alarming is reachedso that the alarm sound substantially at a regular intensity isgenerated, which sound is retained until the stop switch is thrown in.The present invention relates to an electronic sound alarm clock whichcomprises a clock mechanism, an electric source circuit which includes aswitch to be closed at a predetermined time by means of said clockmechanism, an electric voltage controlling device for controlling thevoltage supplied from said electric source circuit, an audible frequencyoscillating circuit operated by an output from said voltage controllingdevice and varies its oscillation state as the time lapses, and aconvertor for converting the electric signals from said oscillatingcircuit into sound energy.

Principal object of the present invention is to provide an alarm clockwhich produces an electronic sound of the type that the oscillatorysound or intermittent oscillatory sound appears and disappears at aregular cycle.

The other object of the present invention is to provide an electronicsound alarm clock which produces a sound that becomes stronger as thetime lapses.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an electronicsound alarm clock producing the alarm sound which is always higher thana fixed level and becomes after a predetermined period graduallystronger.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be made clearupon reading the following descriptions set forth with reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an electronic sound alarm clockaccording to the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the present invention.

F IG. 3 shows signal wave forms at respective parts.

FIGS. 4, 6, 8, l0, 12, 14 and 16 show other embodiments of theinvention.

FIGS. 5, 7, 9, ll, 13 and show signal wave forms at respective parts ineach of the above embodiments of FIGS. 4 through 14.

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of the electronic sound alarm clock of thepresent invention. In the drawing, 1 is a clock mechanism, whichperforms the closing operation of switch with a reference mechanism uponreaching a desired time. 2 is an electric source circuit having a switchmechanism to be closed by said clock mechanism 1. 3 is an electricvoltage controlling device, which is interposed between said electricsource circuit and an oscillator at the next stage and is adapted tovary as the time lapses the magnitude of the voltage to be supplied tothe oscillator and further to perform such various operations asinterrupting the voltage at every regular cycle or after a predeterminedtime period. 4 is a sound cycle oscillator. 5 is a converter forconverting the sound cycles into sound.

A feature of the present invention resides, as shown in the abovedescribed block diagram, in that the alarm clock is provided with thevoltage controlling device.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the present invention, in which 1 is theclock mechanism, 6 is a DC. current source, and 7 is a pair of normallyopened contacts which is closed for a predetermined time period uponreaching the predetermined alanning time of the clock mechanism 1. Anelectric voltage controlling device of known nonstable multivibrator 10having two transistors 8 and 9 is connected to both ends of the electricsource 6 through the contacts 7. At output side of the multivibrator 10is connected, through an amplifying transistor 11, an oscillatory soundgenerator 12, which comprises a blocking oscillator circuit and anelectric signal-sound converter assembled together.

In the above described device, when an alarm set time t of the clockmechanism 1 is reached, the contacts 7 are closed and DC. voltage issupplied from the electric source 6 to the voltage controlling device 10as shown in FIG. 3A, thereby a voltage V is generated at an interval ofa constant cycle T of, for example, 5 seconds (see FIG. 3B) at outputend of the nonstable multivibrator, so that the transistor 1 1 is drivenat every regular cycle and a voltage of constant cycle interval T ispresented to the oscillatory sound generator 12. Said generator 12operates only when such voltage is given thereto and the blockingoscillator oscillates intermittently. The output signal of the blockingoscillator is obtained as an intermittent oscillatory voltage V whichinterrupts and continues at a constant cycle T, as shown in FIG. 3C, sothat an alarm sound similar to chickens call will be intermittentlyproduced. The alarm sound will stop when the contacts 7 are opened atthe time t According to the above mechanism, the alarm sound ofintermittent oscillatory sound at a constant cycle is produced and,therefore, waking-up effect of this mechanism is much larger as comparedwith conventional alarm sound of continuous oscillatory sound or likelycontinuous intermittent oscillatory sound.

F IG. 4 shows another embodiment of the present invention. In thedrawing, 1 is a clock mechanism, 6 is a DC. current source, 7 is aswitch to be closed and opened by said clock mechanism 1, l3 and 14 areresistors, 15 is a charging and discharging capacitor, 16 and 17 areresistors, 18 and 20 are capacitors, 19 is a transistor, 21 is atransformer, 22 is a crystal speaker, and 23 is a low cycle oscillatorcircuit.

In the above device, contact piece of the switch 7 under the normalstate is in its contacting state to the side of the discharge resistor14, in which state the charging voltage V (FIG. 5C) of the capacitor 15is zero and the low cycle oscillator circuit 23 is not operated, so thatno alarm sound is produced. When a previously set time t reaches asshown in FIG. 5A, an alarm signal S is produced at the clock mechanism,thereby the contact piece of switch 7 is caused to be thrown into theDC. electric source side and such a DC. voltage V as shown in FIG. 5Bwill charge the capacitor 15 through the registor 13 as shown in FIG.5C. Both terminal voltage V of the capacitor will become graduallyhigher and, thus, the sound volume of oscillation sound S obtained fromthe crystal speaker 22 of the low cycle oscillator circuit will becomelarger as the time lapses, as in FIG. 5D. As a proper signal S as inFIG. SE, to stop the alarm sound is provided from outside the device ata time point t,, the contact piece of switch 7 is released from the sideof D.C. source 16 and switched to the side of discharge resistor 14, sothat the electric charge in the capacitor is discharged through theresistor 14 and the capacitor voltage V is dropped to be zero, therebythe oscillation of low cycle oscillator circuit 23 is interrupted andthe generation of alarm sound is stopped.

In the above described embodiment, the alarm sound is thus generated atthe moment of the alarm set time reached and its sound volume isautomatically made to become gradually larger as the time lapses.Therefore, the stimulus to hearing sense of humans will become strongeraccording to the lapse of time, so that users will be gradually awakenedbut not in a shocking manner.

That is, in the above described embodiment, the combination of chargingand discharging capacitor 15, discharging resistor 14, charging resistor13 and switch 7 is forming a unique voltage controlling device of thepresent invention.

In FIG. 6, there is shown another embodiment of the invention, in which32 is a D.C. electric source section having at both ends of an A.C.electric source 28 a voltage dropping transformer 29 through a switch 7.At the output end of the transformer 29 is connected a diode 30 so as toobtain a rectified voltage, which is to be smoothed by means of acapacitor 31. 33 is a voltage controlling section connected to theoutput end of the D.C. source 32. In the section 33, a transistor 37 isconnected to both ends of a series circuit of a charging resistor 34 anda capacitor 35, with its emitter to an end through an emitter resistor36 and with its collector to the other end without through any resistor.The base of the transistor 37 is connected to junction point of theresistor 34 and capacitor 35. Further, a resistor 38 is connectedbetween the emitter and collector of the transistor 37. 39 is a soundcycle oscillating circuit, which comprises a transistor 40, resistors 47and 48, capacitors 43, 44 and 46, windings 41 and 42, a transformer 49,and a speaker 50. This sound cycle oscillating circuit 39 receives avoltage supplied from both ends of the resistor 36 in the voltagecontrolling section 33.

In the above described device, the switch 7 is in its OFF state underthe normal condition and, thus, the electric source 28 is disconnected.Therefore, the voltage controlling section 33 will not be operated andno alarm sound will be produced. Now, as shown in FIG. 7A, when apreviously set time t reaches, the switch 7 is caused to be in the ONstate by the clock mechanism 1, thereby the electric source 28 isconnected and a D.C. voltage V as shown in FIG. 7B will appear at theD.C. source section 32. With such voltage V the capacitor will begradually charged with voltage V as in FIG. 7C. On the other hand, theD.C. voltage V will be divided to the resistor 38 and emitter resistor36. Under the condition when the transistor 37 is in nonconductingstate, a voltage of constant level as shown in FIG. 7D will be obtainedat both ends of the emitter resistor 36, which voltage is applied to thesound cycle oscillating circuit 39, thereby an alarm sound of constantlevel S is generated (see FIG. 7E).

As the charging of capacitor 35 further advances and the base potentialof transistor 37 becomes higher than its emitter potential, the basecurrent will initiate to flow through the transistor 37 and then theemitter current is caused to flow therethrough. Thus, due to the emittercurrent and a current supplied from the resistor 38, the voltage at bothends of emitter resistor 36 will become larger, as shown in FIG. 7D, asthe time lapses and in accordance therewith the alarm sound becomes alsolarger (see FIG. 7F). When the time t reaches, a reset signal S to stopthe alarm sound (see FIG. 7G) is supplied from the clock mechanism 1,thereby the switch 7 is opened and the D.C. voltage V, is no moreprovided, so that there will be no application of electric voltage tothe transistor 37. Then, the voltage at both ends of resistor 36 willbecome lower as the charge accumulated in the capacitor 35 is dischargedthrough the base and emitter of the transistor 37, thereby the I alarmsound S disappears until next alarm set time reaches.

According to the above described embodiment, an alarm sound of constantlevel is generated for a predetermined time period as the alarm set timereaches and, thereafter, the sound volume is made to become larger asthe time lapses so that the user will be led to smooth awaking.

In the above embodiment, the voltage control section 33 is forming theunique voltage control device of the present invention.

FIG. 8 shows a further embodiment of the present invention, in which 1is a clock mechanism, 6 is a D.C. source, 7 is a pair of contacts, 10 isa nonstable multivibrator which including two transistors 8 and 9, and27 is a converter for converting sound cycles into acoustic energy,which is provided with a controlling circuit for making output voltageto be higher in accordance with the time lapsing and comprising anamplifying transistor 11, an alarm sound producing device 12 of acombination of a blocking oscillation circuit and a speaker, a chargingcapacitor 18 and others.

In the device as described above, the contacts 7 are closed when thealarm set time reaches as in FIG. 9A, thereby the nonstablemultivibrator 10 is operated and an oscillation voltage of a constantcycle T as shown in FIG. 9B is generated, which voltage is applied tothe transistor 11, so that the same will repeat its conductive andnonconductive states periodically. When the transistor 11 is in itsconductive state, the capacitor 18 is caused to be charged. At both endsof an emitter resistor 24, on the other hand, a voltage divided from thecurrent source voltage by means of a dividing resistor and the emitterresistor 24 is caused to appear. When the transistor 19 is in itsnonconductive state, a voltage of a constant level V as shown in FIG. 9Dwill be obtained as a voltage at both ends of the emitter resistor 24.As the further charging of capacitor 18 advances and a predeterminedtime 2 reaches, as shown in FIG. 9C, the potential at base of thetransistor 19 becomes lower than the emitter potential. Then, a basecurrent initiates to flow through the transistor 24 and an emittercurrent starts to flow through the transistor 19. The voltage V (seeFIG. 9D) at both ends of the emitter resistor 24 will be caused tobecome higher as the time lapses due to the emitter current and acurrent supplied through the dividing resistor 17, and will becomeconstant when the charge to the capacitor 18 is completed so that thealarm sound S will maintain a constant volume. When the transistor 11varies to its nonconductive state, accumulated charge in the capacitor18 will be rapidly discharged through the emitter resistor 24, so thatthe base potential of the transistor 19 will be made higher and the bothend voltage V of the emitter resistor 24 will retain a voltage ofdividing ratio to a voltage dividing resistor 25. This operation isrepeated until the contacts 7 is opened at the time t;, set inconformity with the cycle T of the nonstable multivibrator. Therefore,the alarm sound S will be generated as shown in FIG. 9E. In the case, inthe above described embodiment, when the blocking oscillator circuit ofalarm sound generator 12 is substituted by an ordinary oscillatingcircuit, an alarm sound S as shown in FIG. 9F is generated.

According to the device as described above, the alarm sound is generatedintennittently with a regular cycle T and, further, the sound is made tobecome continuously larger within each of the cycle.

The nonstable multivibrator l0 and front half of the convertor 27 areforming the unique voltage controlling device of the present invention.

In FIG. which showing a further embodiment of the invention, a chargingresistor 17 and a capacitor 18 in a series circuit are connected to bothends of the D. C. source 6 through normally opened contacts 7 which isto be closed for a predetermined time period when the alarm set time ofa clock mechanism 1 reaches. To the both ends of the above seriescircuit is connected a transistor 19, of which emitter is connectedthrough a resistor 24 to an end and collector is connected to the otherend without any resistor, the base being connected to intermediate pointbetween the resistor 17 and capacitor 18. A further resistor 25 isinserted between the emitter and collector. Thus formed is a voltagecontroller section 26. 10 is a monostable multivibrator includingtransistors 8 and 9, 11 is a transistor, and 12 is a sound cycleoscillator comprising a blocking oscillator circuit and a speaker or thelike assembled together. Both ends of the nonstable multivibrator 10 areconnected to switch side of the resistor 24 and to emitter side of theresistor 25, respectively.

In the device as described above, when a previously set alarm time zreaches as shown in FIG. 11A, the contacts 7 are closed by an operationof the clock mechanism, so that the D. C. source 6 is connected to thecontroller section 26 and a D. C. voltage E is applied thereto. Thecapacitor 18 will then be charged gradually with this voltage E and, atthe same time, the voltage is divided by both resistors 24 and 25. Avoltage V of a constant level as shown in FIG. 11C will be obtained asboth end voltage V of the resistor 24, which is then applied to thenonstable multivibrator 10. The multivibrator l0 initiates theoscillation of a regular cycle and, thus, an oscillation voltage V asshown in FIG. 11D is obtained. With such voltage, the transistor 11 willbe driven, so that the alarm sound generating device 12 will receive avoltage which is in synchronism with the cycle T of said oscillationvoltage V and dependent on its magnitude, thereby such an alarm sound Sas shown in FIG. 11E will be generated. The above descriptions arerelated to the period of t, l

When the capacitor 18 is gradually charged and base potential of thetransistor 19 is lowered as shown in FIG. 118 so as to be lower than itsemitter potential at the time point of t the base current starts to flowthrough the transistor 19 and then the emitter current starts to flowtherethrough. The voltage V at both ends of the emitter resistor 24 willbe made to become gradually higher due to the above emitter current anda current supplied from the resistor 25. Thus, the peak values of theoscillation voltage V are also made to be higher so that the magnitudeof alarm sound S will become gradually higher. The magnitude of alarmsound S will be maximum as the charge of the capacitor 18 is completedand is kept to be constant at the maximum until the time t;, reaches, atwhich time the contacts 7 are opened and thereby the alarm soundgeneration is stopped. The charge accumulated in the capacitor 18 isthen discharged, so that the same will be set to be ready for next alarmset time to reach.

According to the above described embodiment, the alarm sound ofoscillatory sound which appears and disappears at a regular cycle, or ofintermittent oscillatory sound which gradually becomes larger isgenerated as the alarm set time is reached.

In the above described embodiment, further, the controller section 26are forming the unique voltage controlling device of the presentinvention in cooperation with each other.

In FIG. 12, there is shown a further embodiment of the presentinvention, in which 1 is a clock mechanism, 6 is a DC. source, 7 is apair of contacts, 19 is a controlling transistor, 24 is a collectorresistor, 25 is an emitter resistor, 18 is a charging capacitor insertedbetween the collector and base of the transistor 19 through thecollector resistor 24, 17 is a controlling resistor inserted between thebase and emitter of the transistor 19 through the emitter resistor 25,and 12 is an alarm sound generating circuit, utilizing such a circuitincluding a speaker, oscillator and the like, or simply a buzzer or thelike.

When an alarm set time reaches at t the clock mechanism 1 operates toclose the contacts 7 as shown in FIG. 13A. As the circuit is closed, acharging current will be passed to the capacitor 18 through the resistor17 and base and emitter of the transistor 19 and through the emitterresistor 25 and the load 12. A part of the charging current to thecapacitor 18 is passed through the base of transistor 19 and,. thus, thetransistor 19 will become conductive. Then, a current flows through theemitter resistor 25 and the load 12 so as to cause the load 12 to beoperated, and, such an alarm sound S as in FIG. 13D is generated. As thecharging of capacitor 18 advances and the terminal voltage V grows up asin FIG. 138, the base potential E of the transistor 19 descends from thevoltage E of the DC. source 6 as shown in FIG. 13C. Consequently, thetransistor 19 will become nonconductive at the time t,, so that thepower supply to the load 12 is interrupted and, thus, the alarm soundgeneration is stopped.

According to the above described embodiment, it is made possible tostart the generation of alarm sound when the alarm set time reaches andto stop the generation automatically after predetermined time period.

In the above embodiment, it will be appreciated that the circuit definedin FIG. 12 with a dotted line 60 is forming a unique voltage controllingdevice of the present invention.

FIG. 14 shows another embodiment of the present invention, in which 1 isa clock mechanism, 6 is a DC. electric source, 7 is a pair of contacts,19 is a switching transistor having a load 24 for generating the alarmsound and an emitter resistor 25. The transistor 19 is connected to bothends of the DC. source 6 through the contacts 7. Further, through theload 24 and between collector and base of the transistor, there isprovided a parallel circuit of a charging and discharging capacitor 18and a variable discharging resistor 52. Through the emitter resistor 25and between the emitter and base of the transistor, a SNOOZE switch 51is connected. This SNOOZE switch 51 is of the type which closes itscontacts momentarily and Such the one as a non-lock type push button, aphotosensitive switch which operates in response to light-applicationthereto, a pressure-sensitive switch that operates in response to anypressure applied thereto, or the like may be used.

Referring to FIGS. 15A to 15D, when the contacts 7 are closed at analarm set time t the SNOOZE circuit is closed. At this time, thecapacitor 18 is in a state in which no electric charge is accumulated atall, since the same has been forming a closed circuit with respect tothe discharging resistor 52 for a long time until the alarm set time tIn response to the closing of snooze circuit as above, however, thecapacitor 18 is charged with a current passed thereto through theemitter and base of the transistor 19 and the emitter resistor 25. Then,the potential E,, at the base side of the transistor 19 will bedecreased as shown in FIG. 15B. In the case where the snooze switch 51is not used, the potential E which is determined substantially byvoltage dividing ratio of the discharging resistor 52, the resistorbetween the base and emitter of transistor 19, and the emitter resistor7 will be maintained at the final stage, so that a base current will bepassed through the transistor 19 due to a charging current to thecapacitor 18 and a current passed through the resistor 52 and thus thetransistor 19 will be in its conductive state, thereby a collectorcurrent is caused to flow through the load 24 and the alarm sound S willbe generated. As the snooze switch 51 is once closed at the time t, asshown in FIG. 15D under such condition described above, the capacitor 18will be momentarily charged by the DC. source 6 and its terminal voltagewill reach the source voltage. Then, the base potential E,, of thetransistor 19 will become zero so as to be lower than the emitterpotential, so that the transistor 19 is returned to interrupting state(nonconductive state), thereby the current supply to the load 24 isstopped and the generation of alarm sound is likely stopped. When thesnooze switch 51 is opened at the time t next, the electric chargeaccumulated in the capacitor 18 will begin to discharged through thedischarging resistor 52, in accordance with the time constant determinedby static capacity of the capacitor 18 and resistive value of thedischarging resistor 52, and the base potential E,, of transistor 19will gradually rise. When this potential E reaches the potential E atthe time the transistor 19 will be again made to be conductive and,thus, the alarm sound S is generated. Such operation will be caused tobe repeated by closing momentarily the snooze switch 51, so that whenthe contacts 7 are closed the alarm sound will be repetitivelyinterrupted at a regular interval which is detemtined by the timeconstant represented by the multiplication of the static capacitance ofcapacitor 18 and the resistive value of discharge resistor 52.

According the above described embodiment, the snooze operation can beperformed in a simple manner and the snoozing mechanism which itself canbe simplified and minimized in size will perform the operation with lesstrouble.

It should be noted that, in the above embodiment, the circuitry sectiondefined by a dotted line 61 in FIG. 14 is forming the unique voltagecontrolling device of the present invention.

A yet further embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 16,in which 1 is a clock mechanism, 6 is a DC. electric source, 7 is a pairof contacts, and 53 is a SNOOZE circuit, which has substantially thesame structure with that of FIG. 14 and, thus, the same referencenumerals therein show the identical elements to those elements used inFIG. 14. The difference will be that instead of the load 24 of FIG. 14 aresistance 54 is inserted. Further, the output voltage from both ends ofthe resistor 25 is applied to a nonstable multivibrator 10 at the nextstage, the output of which multivibrator is in turn applied to a load 12through a transistor 11. The last half portion in the above device issubstantially the same with that utilized in FIG. 2 and the samereference numerals are showing identical elements. Thus, the presentembodiment provides the both of the SNOOZE" operation as in FIG. 14 andthe circuitry operation as in FIG. 2. That is, when the alarm set timereaches the contacts 7 are closed and the alarm sound will beintermittently generated in a continuous manner at a regular cycle.Under such condition, the alarm sound will be stopped as the snoozeswitch 51 is closed, and when the snooze switch 51 is opened the alarmsound will be caused to be intermittently generated after a certainmoment. This operation is repeatedly caused to occur by closing thesnooze switch.

In the above embodiment, it will be seen that the snooze circuit 53 andmultivibrator 10 are forming in cooperation with each other the uniquevoltage controlling device of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic sound alarm clock comprising a clock mechanism, anelectric source circuit including a pair of contacts to be closed bysaid clock mechanism at a predetermined time, said electric sourcecircuit providing an output voltage, a voltage controlling meansoperatively connected to said electric source circuit and responsive tosaid output voltage for providing an output signal having an amplitudewhich varies as the time lapses, an oscillator means operably connectedto said voltage controlling means and operable in accordance with saidvarying amplitude of the output signal from the voltage controllingmeans for producing an oscillating output signal having a frequency inthe audible range, which frequency varies as the time lapses, and aconverter means for converting said output signal from said oscillatormeans into acoustic energy.

2. An alarm clock according to'claim l, in which said electric sourcecircuit is provided with a capacitor connected at its both ends througha switch means so as to be charged through a charging resistor, and saidvoltage controlling means is adapted to apply the voltage at both endsof said capacitor to said oscillator means.

3. An alarm clock according to claim 1, in which said voltagecontrolling means comprises a control section having an output voltagewhich rises as the time lapses and a nonstable multivibrator to whichsaid voltage from the control section is applied.

4. An alarm clock according to claim 1, in which said voltagecontrolling means is adapted to obtain an output voltage of a constantlevel for a predetermined time period after said contacts are closedand, thereafter, to increase said output voltage as the time lapses.

5. An alarm clock according to claim 4, in which said electric sourcecircuit is provided in a connectable arrangement there with a seriescircuit of a charging capacitor and a controlling resistor, and saidvoltage controlling means includes a controlling transistor whichreceives at its base the variation in potential at junction point ofsaid capacitor and controlling resistor so that the conduction of saidtransistor will be controlled.

6. An electronic sound alarm clock comprising a clock mechanism, anelectric source circuit including a pair of contacts to be closed bysaid clock mechanism at a predetermined time, said electric sourcecircuit providing an output voltage, a voltage controlling meansoperatively connected to said electric source circuit and responsive tosaid output voltage for providing an output signal having an amplitudewhich varies as the time lapses, an oscillator means operably connectedto said voltage controlling means and operable in accordance with saidvarying amplitude of the output signal from the voltage controllingmeans for producing an oscillating output signal having a frequency inthe audible rang which frequency varies as the time lapses, and aconverter means for converting said output signal from said oscillatormeans into acoustic energy, said voltage controlling means comprising aparallel circuit of a discharging capacitor and a discharge resistor, asnooze switch connected in series to said parallel circuit, a transistorconnected in parallel to said snooze switch with its base and emitterhaving an emitter resistor, and a load inserted between the collector ofsaid transistor and said capacitor connected at the other end to thebase of said transistor.

7. An electronic sound alarm clock comprising a clock mechanism, anelectric source circuit including a pair of contacts to be closed bysaid clock mechanism at a predetermined time, said electric sourcecircuit providing an output voltage, a voltage controlling meansoperatively connected to said electric source circuit and responsive tosaid output voltage for providing an output signal having an amplitudewhich varies as the time lapses, an oscillator means operably connectedto said voltage controlling means and operable in accordance with saidvarying amplitude of the output signal from the voltage controllingmeans for producing an oscillating output signal having a frequency inthe audible range, which frequency varies as the time lapses, and aconverter means for converting said output sign fr m said osci latormeans into acoustic energy, sai vo tage contro ing means comprising asnooze circuit comprising a parallel circuit of a charging anddischarging capacitor, a snooze switch connected in series to saidparallel circuit, and a transistor connected to both ends of the seriescircuit of said capacitor and snooze switch, with a resistor beingconnected to the emitter and collector of said transistor, and anonstable multivibrator adapted to receive the output from said snoozecircuit.

1. An electronic sound alarm clock comprising a clock mechanism, anelectric source circuit including a pair of contacts to be closed bysaid clock mechanism at a predetermined time, said electric sourcecircuit providing an output voltage, a voltage controlling meansoperatively connected to said electric source circuit and responsive tosaid output voltage for providing an output signal having an amplitudewhich varies as the time lapses, an oscillator means operably connectedto said voltage controlling means and operable in accordance with saidvarying amplitude of the output signal from the voltage controllingmeans for producing an oscillating output signal having a frequency inthe audible range, which frequency varies as the time lapses, and aconverter means for converting said output signal from said oscillatormeans into acoustic energy.
 2. An alarm clock according to claim 1, inwhich said electric source circuit is provided with a capacitorconnected at its both ends through a switch means so as to be chargedthrough a charging resistor, and said voltage controlling means isadapted to apply the voltage at both ends of said capacitor to saidoscillator means.
 3. An alarm clock according to claim 1, in which saidvoltage controlling means comprises a control section having an outputvoltage which rises as the time lapses and a nonstable multivibrator towhich said voltage from the control section is applied.
 4. An alarmclock according to claim 1, in which said voltage controlling means isadapted to obtain an output voltage of a constant level for apredetermined time period after said contacts are closed and,thereafter, to increase said output voltage as the time lapses.
 5. Analarm clock according to claim 4, in which said electric source circuitis provided in a connectable arrangement there with a series circuit ofa charging capacitor and a controlling resistor, and said voltagecontrolling means includes a controlling transistor which receives atits base the variation in potential at junction point of said capacitorand controlling resistor so that the conduction of said transistor willbe controlled.
 6. An electronic sound alarm clock comprising a clockmechanism, an electric source circuit including a pair of contacts to beclosed by said clock mechanism at a predetermined time, said electricsource circuit providing an output voltage, a voltage controlling meansoperatively connected to said electric source circuit and responsive tosaid output voltage for providing an output signal having an amplitudewhich varies as the time lapses, an oscillator means operably connectedto said voltage controlling means and operable in accordance with saidvarying amplitude of the output signal from the voltage controllingmeans for producing an oscillating output signal having a frequency inthe audible range, which frequency varies as the time lapses, and aconverter means for converting said output signal from said oscillatormeans into acoustic energy, said voltage controlling means comprising aparallel circuit of a discharging capacitor and a discharge resistor, asnooze switch connected in series to said parallel circuit, a transistorconnected in parallel to said snooze switch with its base and emitterhaving an emitter resistor, and a load inserted between the collector ofsaid transistor and said capacitor connected at the other end to thebase of said transistor.
 7. An electronic sound alarm clock comprising aclock mechanism, an electric source circuit including a pair of contactsto be closed by said clock mechanism at a predetermined time, saidelectric source circuit providing an output voltage, a voltagecontrolling means operatively connected to said electric source circuitand responsive to said output voltage for providing an output signalhaving an amplitude which varies as the time lapses, an oscillator meansoperably connected to said voltage controlling means and operable inaccordance with said varying amplitude of the output signal from thevoltage controlling means for producing an oscillating output signalhaving a frequency in the audible range, which frequency varies as thetime lapses, and a converter means for converting said output signalfrom said oscillator means into acoustic energy, said voltagecontrolling means comprising a snooze circuit comprising a parallelcircuit of a charging and discharging capacitor, a snooze switchconnected in series to said parallel circuit, and a transistor connectedto both ends of the series circuit of said capacitor and snooze switch,with a resistor being connected to the emitter and collector of saidtransistor, and a nonstable multivibrator adapted to receive the outputfrom said snooze circuit.